Another manifestation of the remains of Henry Cow and Slapp Happy, News From Babel centers around Dagmar Krause's vocals, Chris Cutler's disturbing, enigmatic, symbolic lyrics, and Lindsay Cooper's music. This is lonely, sparse art-rock for the most part, dazzling with its varied percussion and sudden shifts from action to inaction. Without the usual collaboration of Fred Frith, the weight of the music shifts to Cooper's horn charts and Zeena Perkins' harp, turning this already alienating music brittle and sharp. "Work ...
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Another manifestation of the remains of Henry Cow and Slapp Happy, News From Babel centers around Dagmar Krause's vocals, Chris Cutler's disturbing, enigmatic, symbolic lyrics, and Lindsay Cooper's music. This is lonely, sparse art-rock for the most part, dazzling with its varied percussion and sudden shifts from action to inaction. Without the usual collaboration of Fred Frith, the weight of the music shifts to Cooper's horn charts and Zeena Perkins' harp, turning this already alienating music brittle and sharp. "Work Resumed on the Tower," a follow up EP collected on the CD, is fuller of sound, even approaching pop song structure on "Anno Mirablis," the closing track, where all musicians are put to melancholy good use. ~ Ted Mills, Rovi
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